Cumbria’s wildlife school us on the importance of nature in climate resilience

Cumbria Wildlife Trust x Environment Agency Animated films #slowtheflow

I don’t know if you are anything like me, but I was utterly obsessed with Wallace and Gromit as a kid. When I received a plasticine Wallace and Gromit modelling kit for Christmas my life was literally made! Fast forward to now and I'm still instinctively drawn to good old, hand crafted stop frame animation, and these characters are just wonderful!

Twiggy the Red Squirrel starring in ‘Wood you believe it?’. Image from Cumbria Wildlife Trust

Full of charisma and wit, each film is introduced by Cumbria’s very own wildlife…

• Twiggy the Red Squirrel chats to us about the amazing affects trees and woodland have on flooding by creating a natural flood defence.

• Milligan the Hedgehog gives us the knowledge to mitigate flooding, with practical advice, to action around our homes.

• Gill the Salmon talks about the struggles she has navigating the rivers with all the man made obstructions blocking her way.

• And my personal favourite Pat the Cow, teaching us about soil compaction and soils impact on water absorption and flood levels.

Together these films explore nature’s role in flood management and climate resilience, giving us all the more reason to support nature restoration in the UK.

Characters starring in ‘Wood you believe it?’. Image from Cumbria Wildlife Trust

I hope to see these characters again helping to promote these super important messages to a wider audience, maybe in more bite sized content so the messages really pack a punch. Watch them all here, and you can also enjoy ‘making of’ footage and a showcase of past animated films created for Cumbria Wildlife Trust

‘Wood you believe it?’ starring Twiggy the Red Squirrel

‘Home and dry’ starring Milligan the Hedgehog

‘It doesn't have to cost the earth’ starring Pat the Cow

‘Dam fine ideas’ starring Gill the Salmon

The films were created by an amazingly talented team at StudioDOK for Cumbria Wildlife Trust and Cumbria Innovative Flood Resilience funded by the Environment Agency.

Side Note: As Winter rolls in and the risks of storms and flooding increases The Environment Agency are encouraging everyone to sign up for flood warnings below: check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk or by calling Flood line on 0345 988 1188